Tag: come to Me
Streams of Living Water!
Scripture reading for October 31 : John 6-8
Thirst is a great motivator! When we were farming in Iowa, picking up hay bales on a humid summer afternoon with no breeze really worked up a thirst. The ones working in the barn had a “thirsty” job as well. Another job was cutting sunflowers out of the soybean fields with a machete. We had one farm with half-mile rows. It would be a mile up and back. In the hot summer sun, I would be thirsty before I got to the far end of the field. I knew that I would have to cut my way back to the water jug. It was a good motivator for the whole crew to work faster and make it back!
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living waster will flow from within him.” “By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7:37-39
On this last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the custom was to get two large jars of water from the pool of Siloam and pour it out as an offering before the Lord at the temple. It was probably at this time that Jesus stood up and spoke to the crowd. He invited those that were spiritually thirsty to come to Him. He promised if they would drink of His life, a life-giving stream of “living water” would flow from within them. John interprets this prophetic Word of Jesus as referring to the Holy Spirit being poured out after Jesus’ ascension. The Holy Spirit would be a life-giving spring that would bring rivers of refreshing and life to those who would believe on Jesus and receive the Spirit as the Father’s blessing!
Are you “thirsty” from your hard work and labors in this sin-filled world? Has keeping the Law of God worn you out? Do you need a rest and refreshing? Jesus calls for us to come to Him for the relief we need. He was glorified as He ascended into heaven and was seated at God’s right hand. He poured out the Spirit on the day of Pentecost! He alone is the source of this spring of special “living water”, obtained by faith in Jesus Christ. That should motivate you to ‘believe’ your way back to the source and take a long drink! Living water: there’s no other drink like it to quench thirst for God!
Our Father’s gracious will!
Scripture reading for July 13th: Matthew 11
Key Scriptures: Matthew 11:25-28 “At that time Jesus declared, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
John the Baptist had been Jesus’ forerunner, proclaiming repentance and baptismal cleansing in preparation for the One to come, the Christ. John was imprisoned and heard of Jesus’ ministry and sent disciples to ask concerning Jesus, if He were truly the Christ. This is curious, because John proclaimed Jesus the Christ and heard the proclamation of the Father after Jesus’ baptism. But many had seen Jesus’ signs and miracles and had failed to respond with repentance just as many rejected John’s message. Jesus prayed to His Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thanking Him for hiding the truth from the hard of heart and revealing truth to humble and repentant believer, whom Jesus likened to ‘little children.’ He declared that only He, God’s Son, truly knew the Father and it was His mission to reveal the Father to those He chose through divine foreknowledge. He then issued an invitation to those under heavy loads and burdens to come to Him and find rest. This rest would involve a deep knowledge of Christ Himself and the Father’s heart to save the repentant and humble! Amen! Let it be so for me and my household!
Matthew 11:29-30 “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank You for Your gracious will of revealing Who You are through Your Son Jesus. I have responded to Your call to come to Him and learn of Him. I have found rest for my soul from my own efforts to be successful and now delight in sharing the rest in Jesus the Christ. Open doors today to share this “Good News!”
Isaiah 66:1-3 “Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; what is the house that you would build for Me, and what is the place of My rest? All these things My hand has made, and so all these things came to be,” declares the Lord. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My Word.”
The Feast of Tabernacles
Scripture reading for May 13th: John 7:31-53
After delaying His appearance at the Feast of Tabernacles, halfway through the celebration Jesus appeared in the Temple and began to teach there. His teaching amazed many and caused much discussion about who Jesus was. Some tried to seize Him and others put their faith in Him. (John 7:30-31)
It was during this last day of the Feast, that Jesus came to the Temple. “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If any one is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to later receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:37-39)
On the last day of this feast of Tabernacles, it was the custom to draw large jars of water from the Pool of Siloam and to pour them out before the Lord, celebrating how Moses brought water from the rock in the wilderness to refresh God’s people. This was done in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, who would take them to their ‘Promised Land” and provide food and eternal refreshing. In this context, the Jews who heard Jesus would have paid attention. Some thought that they had heard a great prophet, and others thought the He was the Christ. (John 7:40-41)
As we look at this prophetic word from Jesus, we now know that Jesus was speaking of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who would put their faith in Him as the Messiah. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church and each believer received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4) Out of their mouths flowed a new language of praise to God and power to be witnesses to all the world. This gift empowered the Church to live fruitfully and to be ready for the coming of Jesus Christ at any time.
We are all just passing through this life, the world is not our home! We have been given rivers of living water to bring refreshing to those who will hear! The King is coming soon! Let those waters flow here in this wilderness!